Welcome
A little about ourselvesIn the video on the left, we introduce ourselves. Watch the video to get to know us a little better!
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ARTICLE 1 - The Interview
For our first article we have decided to interview a person. We interviewed David's grandfather to find out about his story. We chose to interview this person, because we were very interested in learning about his story. We already knew that it would be interesting, so we decided that we would like to interview him. Check out the interview below to find out about his journey from Indonesia to the Netherlands.
Why did you come to the Netherlands?
My parents thought that we would have a better future there. At first I didn’t agree. It is cold there and what can I do there. And you need to learn the language. School was also a problem. My parents said there was no future in Indonesia. To be honest, my father was very wealthy so he didn’t have to go. That is why he stayed. He could choose to go back to Holland or stay in Indonesia, but you had to change your nationality to Indonesian. A lot of people did that, because they were wealthy, but after a few years Sukarno, the first president, wanted a lot of Indonesians to move to the Netherlands. The Netherlands didn’t want the Indonesians, because they thought the Indonesians were less than them. The Netherlands wanted some Indonesians to migrate to Australia, Canada or the US, but my family lived in the Netherlands. So my father said that we would move to the Netherland. Politics decided that we moved to the Netherlands. In 1965 we moved to the Netherlands.
How did you come to the Netherlands?
We came with an airplane. We flew to the Netherlands in 1965. We landed in military barracks, but we had no say in what happened. They had the power. We thought we were home again, but in the Netherlands we were treated like less again.
Did your journey to the Netherlands have to do with human rights?
Yes, it did. We got bullied a lot. Through the eyes of the Dutch people we were seen as the second nation. We were called ‘the brown boys’. They called us ‘blue boys’ too. This was an invective actually, because when the Dutch came to Indonesia to fight and they married someone, the Indo-Europeans were born. And right after that moment, we were already designated. The women had to believe in a religion, and the religion was Protestant or Catholic, and then you automatically got the Dutch nationality. If we didn’t do it, we didn’t have rights. You were also obligated to live in a camp, but we didn’t care, because now we could play around barefooted.
And the ‘real’ Dutchman had all the power. They had status. There was a clear ranking. Even between the European people and the Dutch. We called them ‘toto’.
Was it difficult to adjust yourself to the Dutch culture?
No, it wasn’t difficult. In Indonesia we already lived between Dutch people, so I already know the habits since primary school. Actually I am really proud that I have got to learn the culture. My mother is a South Moluccan woman, so we got to learn that culture, too. Because of this, we can fit in every culture. We felt good in the Indonesian culture as well as the Dutch culture, so it wasn’t a problem for any of us.
What do you like about the Dutch culture?
I like the difference between the Dutch- and the Indonesian people. Indonesians are sensitive people, Dutchmen are way harder and the Indonesian people love people. Some things I do like, because you learn to be tough, which is very useful in society. Some things I think are not necessary. Too bad I have to say that, but yes, I am an Indonesian.
What do you miss about Indonesia?
Actually the only thing I miss is the atmosphere. Everything I saw as a little boy; the woods, the jungle, the hunting with my dad. You can do such great things in Indonesia. In Indonesia a lot of things were possible. In the Netherlands there are a lot of laws that stop you from doing things. I do miss Indonesia, the climate and the way people live. People are way more relaxed and the temperature is important. Actually nothing more.
A link with Human Rights can definitely be made here. Clearly, David's grandfather left his country along with his family because of discrimination Their Human Rights were violated in their own home. They were forced to leave due to bullying and exclusion from their own society.
Why did you come to the Netherlands?
My parents thought that we would have a better future there. At first I didn’t agree. It is cold there and what can I do there. And you need to learn the language. School was also a problem. My parents said there was no future in Indonesia. To be honest, my father was very wealthy so he didn’t have to go. That is why he stayed. He could choose to go back to Holland or stay in Indonesia, but you had to change your nationality to Indonesian. A lot of people did that, because they were wealthy, but after a few years Sukarno, the first president, wanted a lot of Indonesians to move to the Netherlands. The Netherlands didn’t want the Indonesians, because they thought the Indonesians were less than them. The Netherlands wanted some Indonesians to migrate to Australia, Canada or the US, but my family lived in the Netherlands. So my father said that we would move to the Netherland. Politics decided that we moved to the Netherlands. In 1965 we moved to the Netherlands.
How did you come to the Netherlands?
We came with an airplane. We flew to the Netherlands in 1965. We landed in military barracks, but we had no say in what happened. They had the power. We thought we were home again, but in the Netherlands we were treated like less again.
Did your journey to the Netherlands have to do with human rights?
Yes, it did. We got bullied a lot. Through the eyes of the Dutch people we were seen as the second nation. We were called ‘the brown boys’. They called us ‘blue boys’ too. This was an invective actually, because when the Dutch came to Indonesia to fight and they married someone, the Indo-Europeans were born. And right after that moment, we were already designated. The women had to believe in a religion, and the religion was Protestant or Catholic, and then you automatically got the Dutch nationality. If we didn’t do it, we didn’t have rights. You were also obligated to live in a camp, but we didn’t care, because now we could play around barefooted.
And the ‘real’ Dutchman had all the power. They had status. There was a clear ranking. Even between the European people and the Dutch. We called them ‘toto’.
Was it difficult to adjust yourself to the Dutch culture?
No, it wasn’t difficult. In Indonesia we already lived between Dutch people, so I already know the habits since primary school. Actually I am really proud that I have got to learn the culture. My mother is a South Moluccan woman, so we got to learn that culture, too. Because of this, we can fit in every culture. We felt good in the Indonesian culture as well as the Dutch culture, so it wasn’t a problem for any of us.
What do you like about the Dutch culture?
I like the difference between the Dutch- and the Indonesian people. Indonesians are sensitive people, Dutchmen are way harder and the Indonesian people love people. Some things I do like, because you learn to be tough, which is very useful in society. Some things I think are not necessary. Too bad I have to say that, but yes, I am an Indonesian.
What do you miss about Indonesia?
Actually the only thing I miss is the atmosphere. Everything I saw as a little boy; the woods, the jungle, the hunting with my dad. You can do such great things in Indonesia. In Indonesia a lot of things were possible. In the Netherlands there are a lot of laws that stop you from doing things. I do miss Indonesia, the climate and the way people live. People are way more relaxed and the temperature is important. Actually nothing more.
A link with Human Rights can definitely be made here. Clearly, David's grandfather left his country along with his family because of discrimination Their Human Rights were violated in their own home. They were forced to leave due to bullying and exclusion from their own society.